April 2010

April 21, 2010

Thursday, April 22nd is the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day and wow, there's a lot to celebrate this month! There's no better day to get outside and appreciate the natural wonders of the earth. Whether you go for a hike, participate in clean-up, do your recycling, or plant a tree, there are endless opportunities to celebrate the outdoors. One special idea is to spend some time teaching a child about nature. Click here to join Sierra Club's Earth Day pledge and you could win a free trip to Hawaii!

The White House has been working to celebrate the Earth and outdoors this month. They recently launched an Earth Day Website where you can find activities in your community, learn how to save money, energy and have a positive environmental impact on and around Earth Day. Last week, President Obama launched the Great Outdoors Initiative as part of a new effort to reconnect Americans to nature and enhance conservation efforts. Sierra Club applauds the effort and is calling on the Obama administration to use the initiative as an opportunity to address two key challenges: Introducing more children, especially children of color, to America's public lands, and addressing the growing threat of global warming to wildlife and wild places. Click here to see the press release.

April is also the Month of the Military Child - since 1986, April has been designated as the Month of the Military Child to recognize the important role that military children play in the armed forces community. It is a time to applaud America's youngest heroes and thank them for the sacrifices they make and for their courageous support of their military parents. Many exciting activities and events will be taking place for military children on and around military installations nationwide this month.

How do we combine the month of the Military Child with Earth Day? It's easy, spend some time outdoors with your military children and sign them up for Operation Purple Camp! The popular summer camp program was developed by the National Military Family Association to support military children dealing with the stress of war. Children enjoy a free week of outdoor camp fun with other military kids. Registration has been extended until April 26 in select locations. Click here to check out locations near you.

Are you looking for a fun activity for the whole family to enjoy together this spring? Check out Operation Purple Family Retreats. The retreats are designed to allow families to reconnect after experiencing the stresses surrounding a deployment. They are a great opportunity to spend time outdoors, try new things, make friends, and enjoy quality time together as a family. These four day retreats take place in beautiful National Parks and are led by experienced outdoor educators. Click here to check out upcoming dates and locations and apply today!

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